The case has rocked this East Texas community to its core and left many residents in the working-class neighborhood where the attack took place with unanswered questions. Among them is, if the allegations are proved, how could their young men have been drawn into such an act?

“It’s just destroyed our community,” said Sheila Harrison, 48, a hospital worker who says she knows several of the defendants. “These boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.”

This is absolutely not to suggest that false rape allegations are anything but serious, but it is wildly anachronistic to counter-sue an alleged rape victim before you have been proven innocent. If these are false allegations, then the militia members should await trial and rest assured they will be proven innocent. Charges for slander can follow. Otherwise, sit tight, "boys," and let the victim have her day in court. Which reminds me -- where the eff is she?

Journalists have been unable to learn Ms. al-Obeidy’s whereabouts since she was removed by force from the Rixos Hotel here after scuffles between security personnel, hotel staff and foreign journalists she had been trying to approach on Saturday.